Who this is for: self-serve plans (Free, Starter, Pro, Scale). If you bought a Cleanlist AppSumo lifetime deal, your features, limits, and pricing are different — see the AppSumo documentation instead. Support agent: confirm whether the user is self-serve or AppSumo before giving plan-specific advice.
TL;DR: There are several ways to add leads. CSV import is free (you pay only on enrichment) and is covered in full below. The other methods — People Search, Sales Navigator import, and the browser extension — have their own dedicated guides; this page links to each. Running a search is always free; you pay 0.5 credits per contact on import and again for enrichment.
Importing leads
There are several ways to get leads into Cleanlist. CSV import is documented in full on this page (it has no other home in the docs). For the other methods, use the dedicated guides linked below — they're the source of truth.
| Method | Cost to add | Plan | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| CSV import | Free | All | See below |
| AI / filtered People Search | 0.5 cr/contact on import (search is free) | Free gets 5 previews; full search Starter+ | People Search |
| Sales Navigator import | 0.5 cr/lead to add (+ enrichment) | Starter+ | Sales Navigator guide |
| Browser extension | 0.5 cr/lead (+ enrichment) | Starter+ | Browser extension guide |
Enrichment is charged separately on success: email 1 credit, phone 10, full up to 11. Cache hits are billed at the normal rate — enrichment is never free.
CSV import
CSV import is the most common way to add leads — and importing a CSV is free (you're charged only when you enrich).
Format: .csv, UTF-8 recommended, first row = headers.
Steps: open a list → Import CSV → upload → map columns (common fields auto-detect) → review → optionally auto-enrich.
Recognized fields: First / Last / Full Name, Email, Phone, Company Name, Company Domain, LinkedIn URL, Job Title, Location. Unmapped columns become custom fields.
Tips: include LinkedIn URLs for a big match-rate boost; duplicates (same email or LinkedIn) within a list are flagged so you can skip or overwrite.
| Plan | List cap |
|---|---|
| Free | 100 |
| Starter | 2,500 |
| Pro | 2,500 |
| Scale | Unlimited |
The in-app (portal) CSV max file size / row count is not documented — confirm the current limit in the app before importing a large file. The separate public/MCP API import path caps at 600 rows / 150 KB, but that limit does not necessarily apply to the in-app importer.
CSV troubleshooting
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| File not uploading | Ensure it's a .csv (not .xlsx); check the size; re-save as UTF-8 if characters look garbled. |
| Columns not mapping | Ensure the first row is headers; use standard names ("First Name", "Email", "LinkedIn URL"); adjust mapping in the wizard. |
| Missing data | Check for empty rows or the wrong delimiter (comma is default — convert semicolon/tab files). |
| Duplicates | Flagged within a list by email or LinkedIn URL — choose skip or overwrite. |
Need help? Email support@cleanlist.ai.
Learn more
- People Search — AI and filtered prospect search (Crustdata)
- Sales Navigator import guide
- Browser extension guide
- Managing lists — list caps and organization
- Credit pricing — enrichment and import costs
- AppSumo documentation — for lifetime-deal plans